DNA

He was nothing. He was of no importance to anyone. He had been living a life in darkness, a life where no light could penetrate his lifestyle. It wasn’t until he met her. The light to show him the way. Yet, he had to keep his secrets hidden from her to keep her safe. Who knew curiosity could lead to your downfall? It’s in his DNA.

2. One

Thud. My suitcase had fallen against the hardwood floor as soon as I had placed it down. I had just moved into my new apartment. It had a glorious view. I moved from a small town to a big city, and this breath-taking view was going to take some getting used to.

I would’ve never thought that after college, I would finally be able to pursue my career. I started my job on Monday and it was only Thursday. I had given myself a few days to tour the city and familiarize myself with the city life.

I fixed my hair so it’d look like I hadn’t gotten out of a plane and walked out of the apartment. I pressed the button the elevator and stepped in. The elevator stopped a few floors below mine and a guy walked in. The doors closed before us and resumed going down. I glanced over at the guy beside me.

We were only standing a few feet away and the air between us seemed electrified. I have never felt this type of energy before with a guy. He had curly brown hair that looked like he had just gotten out on the wrong side of bed; and yet, I found that sexy.

Neither of had spoken a word to each other as the elevator reached the last floor. We both stepped out of the elevator and exited the building. I felt that he was following behind me. I was hesitant to turn, and when I did, I saw that he had walked off in the opposite direction.

At least for now I could breathe as I continued to stroll down the sidewalk. The air was much more dense in the city than in the small town I lived in. I actually enjoyed fresh air, but the town was just too boring for me to stay any longer. I had to get out and start a new life.

I casually strolled in one of the coffee shops and it was there I saw him again. Hadn’t he just walked in the opposite direction? I asked myself, but then shook a thought away that had creeped into my mind. There was no possible way that he could be a stalker.

He turned around and walked into me. He looked down at me with his green eyes. “Sorry.” He uttered quickly and then left the coffee shop. Who was he? I ordered myself a cup of coffee and sat down at one of the tables as soon as I had gotten my order.

There were some people who looked at me as I sat there alone. I moved from a town, not a different planet. Fed up with the stares, I stood up and left the coffee shop. Gladly, the walk from my apartment to the nearest park was only a few blocks away.

The park was quiet and serene, even though there were a few people there. I was sitting on one of the benches drinking my coffee when I spotted the guy again from earlier today. I knew he lived here, but it was quite ludicrous that I saw him everywhere I went.

This definitely wasn’t a small city, but believed our encounters were just a mere coincidence. I had the sudden urge to confront him, but for what reason? To stop running into me? That would be a lame excuse. I let the thought go and enjoyed my coffee.

After a short time at the park, I stood up and threw my coffee away in the trash and made my way up the street to my apartment. I had enough sight seeing for the day and needed a rest. I arrived at the building and there he was waiting for the elevator doors to open. I joined him, but kept a good distance away from him.

The doors opened and we both went inside, pressing the buttons to our respective floors. The elevator stopped on his floor and he stepped out. Not once did he turn to look at me, and I was thankful for that. I had taken note of the floor that he was on. The twelfth floor. I was on the seventeenth floor.

The doors opened on my floor and I stepped out, then walked down the hallway to my apartment. I entered my apartment and closed the door behind me, then took a quick shower. I have never been so curious about a guy before, and I had to tell someone. Yet, I felt that it was too soon to tell because I didn’t even know the guy’s name.

Monday. Today was the day I started my new job. “Welcome to Jensen Enterprises & Co. I’m Colleen.” A red-head smiled up at me. She had bright green eyes and a warm smile. “Camille. I’m new here.” I told her. She looked at her computer and scrolled through a page.

“Camille Devine. Ah, yes, I will inform Mr. Jensen that you have arrived.” Colleen smiled as she picked up the phone and pressed a number on the phone. After five minutes, Mr. Jensen had arrived. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He dawned a black shirt with a grey tie, jacket, and pants.

“Miss Devine, I’ve been expecting you.” Mr. Jensen smiled as he held out his hand for me to shake. I shook his hand and smiled, “Please, call me Camille.”

He gave a slight nod as we pulled away from the shake. “Indeed, I shall.” He smiled and we resumed touring the building. “I reviewed your resume and I must say, I’ve very impressed. We don’t have many graduates from Princeton University.” His hands were placed casually in his pockets as we walked.

We shared a few laughs and finished off our tour in front of the area where I would be working. “This is your work area. Glad to have you as a new edition to our company Camille.” He smiled with a nod, then walked away. I sat down in my desk turned on the computer.

“First name basis already with the boss?” A guy asked me with a smirk. He toyed with the pen in his hand as he leaned back in his chair. “I just prefer to be called by my first name, that’s all.” I told him. He nodded and leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on the desk.

“I’m Niall Horan, but I just go by Niall.” Niall had blond hair and bright blue eyes. I picked up a bit of a slight Irish accent. “Camille Devine.” I told him.

“Devine? Is that French?” He asked, suddenly acting interested in what I had to say. I nodded and said, “My mom is half-French, half-British.”

“Very nice.” He smiled.

“Niall, get to work.” A girl came over and it his arm with a folder. He pretended to wince, but let out a light chuckle. “That’s Perrie. Bit of a hard-ass, aren’t you?” He asked jokingly as she rolled her eyes.

Perrie was also blond and blue eyed. She wore red lipstick, which I thought suited her more than it did on me. She sat down in the desk to my right. “Ignore him. Boy doesn’t know his manners.” Perrie said quietly as she leaned over with a smirk.

“I heard that!” Niall retorted. Perrie let out a light laugh and held out her hand towards me. “Perrie Edwards.” she introduced herself.

“Camille Devine.” I shook hands with her.

“Her last name’s French.” Niall added. Perrie shot a look at him and he cowered behind his computer. “He’s worked here for three years and thinks he has a hold on me.” she said. “He’s the joker of the entire group.”

“Seems that way.” I said. Perrie smiled and introduced a few people on the floor. Jessy, Jade, and Liam. “Liam and Niall are best friends; they are never seen apart. Some of the girls and I joke that they’re secretly together.” she said. “There’s another guy here on the floor, but he’s always late.”

“Late, again?” A guy approached our direction. This guy had brown hair, brown eyes, and a muscular build to him. I assumed that this guy was Liam. “As usual.” Perrie muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes. Liam locked eyes with me and held out his hand towards me. He smiled, “Liam Payne.”

“Camille Devine.” I shook hands with him and smiled back.

“Nice to meet you. I feel bad for you.” Liam glanced towards Perrie’s direction, who had clearly seen the quick and subtle movement and threw a paper ball at him. He let out a light chuckle and said in a joking tone, “Love you too Perrie. She’s real sweet once you get to know her.”

I just nodded and Liam took his seat in a desk besides Niall. We all resumed to our work when a guy nosily joined in a desk behind Niall. It was the same guy I’d seen from my apartment. He works with me too? “It’s about time you got here Harry.” A girl approached with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Shut it Jade.” The curly-haired guy, Harry frowned at her statement. Jade sat down in the desk beside him and flipped her hair over her shoulder, then focused her attention on the screen. “Have you met the new girl, Camille?” Perrie called out to him.

Harry then focused his attention on me and I could tell by the look in his eyes exactly what he was doing. Why was it every guys’ tendency to undress me with their eyes? “Yeah, in the coffee shop.” He said casually and then turned his attention to the computer. He remembered me from the coffee shop? That surprised me how he paid attention to detail. Yet, he hadn’t known my name until now

Lunch came around and I followed Perrie into the break room, along with Liam and Niall. I learned that Perrie was the closest with Jade and Liam. As for Niall, he and I had gotten along fairly well. “What do you know about Harry?” Perrie asked me a she took a sip of her Diet Coke.

I shrugged, “I don’t know much, but he lives in the same building as me.”

“Huh, thought he’d stay in some condo of sorts.” she said. “Never thought he’d fancy an apartment, so dreadfully boring.”

“I find the apartments quite nice.” I said. “The view from mine is incredible.” Harry entered the lunch break and suddenly, the loud chatter had suddenly quieted down to almost a whisper. What effect did he have on the other employees? What did they know that I didn’t know?

I was so confused, but curious all at once. He sat down in between Perrie and Liam so that Liam had sat closer to me. “Oh, please continue in your secretive conversations.” Harry smirked. “I’m interested in what you all have to say.”

“Like we’re interested in talking about you Harry.” Jade spat as she grabbed her food, then left the break room. I wondered what Jade had against Harry, but it’s not my business to pry in such affairs. “We’re going out for dinner, want to join us?” Perrie turned towards my direction.

“I’d love to join.” I smiled. Perrie smiled, then stood up from her seat. She shot a quick glance at Harry before leaving the break room. I prayed that Liam and Niall would leave me alone with him, but they did. Thanks a lot guys. I thought angrily, but managed to maintain my composure.

“Already making friends with the princess?” Harry asked as he leaned back in his chair, resting an arm on one of the backrests of another chair. “She’s a feisty one, if you ask me.”

“Well, I’m not asking you.” I said.

“Leaving me too?” He asked once I stood up to gather my belongings. “You can’t already hate me.” I just looked at him for a moment, then left the break room. I just couldn’t stand to be in there with him. I couldn’t let him know, or see what effect he had on me.

My heart pounded against my chest when I finally saw his face. I couldn’t seem to get the image of him out of my head. I sat back down in my seat and resumed my work at the computer. After having dinner with Perrie and the others, I went back to the apartment building and stepped out as soon as I reached my floor. I took a quick shower and went to bed. I was not looking forward to tomorrow.